Endoscopes are medical viewing instruments with capabilities of diagnostic (biopsy) or even therapeutic functions through special operative channels. Endoscopes now have widespread use in medicine and guide a myriad of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including, but not limited to, arthroscopy, bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, cystoscopy, gastroscopy, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, laryngoscopy, proctoscopy and thoracoscopy. For example, hysteroscopy is the inspection of the uterine cavity by endoscopy and allows for the diagnosis of intrauterine pathology and serves as a method for surgical intervention. Hysteroscopes are endoscopes that are used during hysteroscopy and are typically provided with at least one accessory channel which permits the introduction of various surgical auxiliary instruments, such as forceps, scissors or other specialized biopsy instruments. Such auxiliary instruments are introduced into the accessory channel through an inlet port. The inlet port is therefore a site of potential escape of blood and other bodily fluids (biomaterials), as well as introduced fluids, which may result in the leaking or spraying of medical personnel and equipment. These fluids may contain viruses and other biological agents that pose a risk to the personnel or that contaminate the equipment.
Because of the potential for the leakage of fluids, various types of valves, plugs and seals are typically placed at or near the inlet port. These plugs attempt to seal the tiny spaces around the auxiliary instrument where the potential for leakage is greatest, and are used to close off the inlet port when an auxiliary instrument is not in place. However, the current surgical plugs still have a tendency to leak, especially if multiple auxiliary instruments are used. Additionally, current surgical plugs can only be used with auxiliary instruments having a relatively narrow range of diameters. Current large diameter surgical valves do not close completely and require that the auxiliary instrument be left in place to maintain a seal. Current surgical valves require constant manipulation to maintain a seal around the auxiliary instrument without excessive friction. Between the time an auxiliary instrument is removed from the endoscope and the accessory-port valve is closed, blood or other bodily fluid can leak or spray from the port because the seal does not effectively self-close. This happens because the seal around the auxiliary instrument may be distorted by an instrument that previously passed through and stretched the aperture. These problems and shortcomings may be solved by the self-sealing assemblies of the present disclosure